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Humans of Shenzhen
Portraits and Biographies
The latest stories from HoSZ, featuring interviews of migrant workers on the streets of Shenzhen. The stories are bridges between Them and Us, between the workers and the consumers, and between the temporary migrants and the permanent city.
Interviewees
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Interviewees
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Photo Essay: At Yulv, Urban Villagers Create Another World
November 17th, 2024: In Shenzhen, the skyline rises with glass and steel, but just beneath the city’s shiny surface, Yulv village remains...
New Book Release: The Other Half of Modern China
Shenzhen, Guangdong, August 18th, 2025 — Coming in September 2025, Albert Z. Wang's book The Other Half of Modern China: Eleven Stories...
No Way Out (Chapter 2)
July 6th, 2024: Sister Mann’s eyes welled up, her face partially hidden by a few strands of messy hair across her cheek. She wiped her...
A Family Working Together (Part 3)
June 28th, 2023: Q: I saw a few school-aged kids with school bags walking into the factory earlier. Do they live here? A: Yeah, they live...
A Family Working Together (Part 2)
June 28th, 2023: Q: You’ve been with the factory since 2003, and you’ve witnessed each other’s growth over the years. A: Absolutely. Back...
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Afterword: Q&A)
August 31st, 2024: Q: As you said, life in the countryside has been getting better and better since China’s economic reforms. Why do you...
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Part 3)
August 31st, 2024: After the Jingtai Factory moved out of Shenzhen, Aunt Liu’s husband went to work at a rice noodle factory in Guizhou,...
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Part 2)
August 31st, 2024: In 2008, at the age of 38, Aunt Liu “moved to the big city to find work.” Like countless other rural-to-urban migrant...
The Factory Philosopher Who Chose to "Lie Flat" (Part 2: Q&A)
June 29th, 2024: Q: What made you leave Zhejiang and move to Shenzhen? A: I got tired of Zhejiang and wanted a change. I just felt like...
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Afterword: Q&A)
August 26th, 2023: Mr. Fu (Fu Xiong), first from left, carrying his daughter, second from left "Q: Your whole family can finally live...
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Part 3)
August 26th, 2023: Fu Xiong's daughter, exiting the factory front gate In November 2008, Fu Xiong’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby...
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Part 2)
August 26th, 2023: Mr. Fu (Fu Xiong), first from the right, carrying his dinner to his home When Fu Xiong first entered the factory,...
Declaring War for Love (Afterword: Q&A)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), left one, returning to the Regina Miracle Factory for overtime session after interview with me "Q:...
Declaring War for Love (Part 3)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), sixth from the left, crossing the street when walking from the Regina Miracle Factory to the nearby...
Declaring War for Love (Part 2)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), first from the left, walking across the park beside the Regina Miracle Factory with her friend after...
From Empty Ledgers to Full Hearts (Afterword: Q&A)
May 31st, 2025: Ms. Li (Auntie Li), second from the right, leading assistive device applicants to their assigned evaluators Note:...
From Empty Ledgers to Full Hearts (Part 2)
May 31st, 2025: Ms. Li (Auntie Li), first from the right, leading assistive device applicants to their assigned evaluators Note: Language...
From Empty Ledgers to Full Hearts (Part 1)
May 31st, 2025: Ms. Li (Auntie Li), second from the right, leading assistive device applicants to their assigned evaluators Note:...
Building Dreams, Bearing Scars (Afterword: Q&A)
May 25th, 2025: Uncle He (second from the left) and I (third from the left), at Futian Disability Center's reception area Q&A: A...
Building Dreams, Bearing Scars (Chapters 5-6)
May 25th, 2025: Uncle He (second from the left) and I (third from the left), at Futian Disability Center's reception area Family Trust,...
Building Dreams, Bearing Scars (Chapters 3-4)
May 25th, 2025: Uncle He (second from the left) and I (third from the left), at Futian Disability Center's reception area Building...
Building Dreams, Bearing Scars (Chapters 0-2)
May 25th, 2025: Uncle He (second from the left) and I (third from the left), at Futian Disability Center's reception area The Legal...
“Can We Have Pizza Tonight?”
Daughter: “Dad, can we have pizza tonight?” Father: “Pizza? What pizza? We’re having steamed buns with pickled veggies.” Mother: “We’re...
A Family Working Together (Part 1)
June 28th, 2023: It was around 6 PM on June 18th, and the entrance to the Weixing Garment Factory was alive with something unexpected –...
City Hero, the Factory Cleaner (Part 1)
August 31st, 2024: It was a little after 4 PM on August 31, 2024. I was waiting at the gate of Shenzhen Lihua Fashion Garment Factory for...
No Way Out (Chapter 1)
July 6th, 2024: As promised, I arrived at the gates of the Lihua Garment Factory again, waiting for Sister Man to appear. At 5:30 sharp,...
The Factory Philosopher Who Chose to "Lie Flat" (Part 1)
June 29th, 2024: It was 6 PM. Waves of workers were streaming out of the big gates of Shenzhen’s Zhongtai Garment Factory, rushing to...
A Father Who Refused Leave His Daughter Behind (Part 1)
August 26th, 2023: Mr. Fu (Fu Xiong), exiting the factory front gate August 26th, 2023, 9 p.m. The building of Zhaowen Textile & Garment...
Declaring War for Love (Part 1)
June 6th, 2024: Ms. Mei (Xiao Mei), walking on the streets of a nearby urban village after afternoon work session ended, taking her...
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